Arbitrator Accreditation exam-day guide
Arbitrator Accreditation · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official appointment or admission letter
Print or download the confirmation showing your candidate number, test location or remote-proctoring link, and start time. Providers often require the candidate number at check-in, so keep it where you can read it without searching. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or a digital copy is accepted.
Government-issued photo identification
Bring the exact ID type and name spelling the provider specifies; a nickname or expired document is a common cause of denied entry. If your legal name differs from the name on your application, contact the provider before test day to correct it. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a second form is required.
Confirmation of permitted reference materials
Some arbitration exams are open-book or supply extracts of rules and statutes; others prohibit all materials. Check your candidate handbook and, if anything is ambiguous, confirm with the provider in writing before the exam. Do not assume that a convention text or institutional rulebook is allowed.
Approved calculator or none at all
Arbitration exams may include interest or fee calculations. Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is permitted and, if so, which models are approved and whether a basic non-programmable device is required. If calculators are banned, practice the arithmetic by hand or mentally.
Timekeeping device consistent with venue rules
Many venues forbid smartwatches and phones at the desk. Confirm with the provider whether an ordinary wristwatch is allowed or whether only the on-screen clock may be used, and plan your pacing strategy around whichever applies.
Logistics plan for arrival
For in-person sittings, plan to arrive well before the start time to allow for security screening and document checks; confirm with the provider the exact arrival window and late-arrival cutoff. For remote sittings, test your camera, microphone, and connection the day before and have a backup connection plan.
Review the published format and weighting
Know in advance the number of questions or tasks, the time allowed, and whether sections are separately timed or scored. Confirm with the provider how multiple-choice, short-answer, and written-reasoning items are weighted so you can allocate effort sensibly.
Restatement of the scoring and pass standard
Check the candidate handbook for the pass mark or scaled-score reporting method. If the handbook is silent or unclear, confirm with the provider rather than relying on hearsay from other candidates.
Personal comfort and medical items
Bring water and any permitted medication or essential personal items, and check the venue's rules on food, drink, and bags. If you need an accommodation, confirm with the provider well ahead of test day that it has been approved and arranged.
A short, personal pre-exam review sheet
Prepare a one-page summary of frameworks you tend to forget, such as the distinction between jurisdiction and admissibility, the grounds for challenge, and the difference between setting aside and enforcement. Keep it for the final review only if the exam permits materials at your desk; otherwise use it in the 24 hours before and leave it behind.
Practice under timed conditions
Complete at least one full timed rehearsal in the final week so that pacing, reading speed, and answer structure are tested rather than assumed. Note where you lost time and decide in advance which item types you will skip and return to.
Written confirmation of any special arrangements
If you requested extra time, a separate room, or a remote-sitting exception, bring the approval confirmation. Do not rely on a verbal assurance; confirm with the provider that the arrangement appears in your candidate record.
Plan the day
Stop introducing new material. Review your own summary notes, the exam format, and the instructions for each item type. Do one timed rehearsal if you have not already, then mark your weak areas and spend the remaining time on those only. Assemble documents and ID, check the venue or platform requirements, and re-read the candidate handbook for prohibited items and arrival rules. Protect sleep rather than adding late-night study.
Confirm the start time, location or link, and arrival window. Lay out ID, confirmation, and permitted materials. For a remote sitting, run a full equipment check and charge devices. Do a light review of frameworks and vocabulary, then stop. Avoid comparing notes with other candidates, since secondhand claims about content or scoring are often wrong; if you hear something that concerns you, confirm with the provider rather than acting on it.
Eat normally and arrive with time to spare. At check-in, present your ID and confirmation, store prohibited items as directed, and read the on-screen or printed instructions before starting. Take a few minutes to note the section timings and plan your pace. If a technical or administrative problem occurs, raise it with the invigilator or proctor immediately and ask for it to be recorded.
Read each item fully before answering, and watch for qualifiers such as 'best', 'except', and 'most likely'. Answer the items you know first, flag uncertain ones, and return to them with the remaining time. For written-reasoning items, state the applicable rule, apply it to the facts, and reach a clear conclusion; concise structured answers usually score better than long unstructured ones. Leave time at the end to check that every item has a response and that flagged items are resolved.
Rules to check
Bring the identification the provider specifies, with names matching your application exactly. If you are unsure which documents qualify, confirm with the provider before test day; arriving with the wrong ID can result in refused admission and forfeiture of fees.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and proctors. Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not attempt to copy, photograph, or remove exam materials. Suspected misconduct is typically handled under the provider's disciplinary procedure.
Leave prohibited items, including phones and smartwatches, outside the testing room or in the designated storage. Confirm with the provider whether bags, notes, or reference texts are permitted, and do not rely on assumptions about open-book conditions.
If breaks are offered, confirm with the provider in advance whether they are scheduled or on request, whether the clock stops, and what identification or re-screening is required on return. Unapproved breaks during a timed section may not stop the clock.
Understand how scoring works before you sit: whether sections are separately weighted, whether wrong answers are penalized, and what the pass standard is. If the handbook does not state this clearly, confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Report any technical failure, interruption, or disturbance immediately and ask for it to be logged. Requests for special consideration usually depend on a contemporaneous record, and deadlines for such requests are often short, so confirm with the provider what evidence is required.
Keep your answers your own. Do not use unauthorized assistance, and do not share exam content afterward; most accreditation programs treat content disclosure as a breach of the candidate agreement.
If you must withdraw or reschedule, check the provider's notice period and fee terms as early as possible. Do not assume a refund or transfer is available; confirm with the provider in writing.